This red rose bud (probably ‘Don Juan”) is my first rose of the season. This particular rosebush is grown from a cutting I took at our last house five years ago, and THAT rosebush was from a cutting that a friend rooted for me when I still lived in California. It’s intensely fragrant. Happy rose season to all my friends in the Northern Hemisphere!

Red ‘Don Juan’ rose on own roots blooms in Seattle in May

Joining up at  I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Skywatch Friday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, NF Blo-Ma Tuesday,Garden Party Thursday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. I appreciate your visit here, and come back soon!

These hydrangea leaves make such beautiful patterns in the sunlight.

Hydrangea leaves with saw toothed edges and strong vein patterns in the sunshine

Linking to NF Abstract Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday, Our World Tuesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, NF Catching the Light Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Garden Party Thursday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. If only one photo is visible, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos Blog to see the rest, or at least a few of the most recent ones. Thanks!

Here’s another shot of my nextdoor neighbor’s playhouse, with the rhododendrons in bloom. The little girl who lives there is almost two, and is soon to have a baby brother. What a storybook come to life!

Backyard playhouse complete with kid-sized Adirondack chair and rhodies blooming

Joining Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting and have a great day.

The sunshine got here. The patio plants are so happy. Those purple puffs in back are chive flowers.

Spring sunshine on some potted plants on the patio

Linking up to Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, Pink Saturday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for visiting and have a great day.

This pretty variegated weigela shrub is blooming now in my backyard.

Variegated weigela with pink flowers blooms in May in Seattle

Participating in Pink Saturday, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, Monday Mellow Yellows, My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. How about a new tag or category while you are here? Pink, perhaps?

My sister was in the south of France recently and took this photo of the blood-red poppies.

Red, red poppies in a field in the south of France

Linking to Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Skywatch Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Garden Party Thursday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Please click on the Sara’s Fave Photos Blog curly letters above to see a few recent photos here. Thank you.

Sometimes there’s a break in the clouds.

Sometimes the sun does break through the gray clouds.

Participating in Monday Mellow Yellows, Pink Saturday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Skywatch Friday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. Try clicking on a tag in the tag cloud in the sidebar at right for some interesting images on a theme.

The Pike Place Market is where flower junkies go for their fix. This bucket of blue Dutch iris buds is ready to go home with YOU.

True blue Dutch irises get ready to bloom at Seattle’s Pike Place Market

Linking up to Our World Tuesday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Blue Monday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks so much for your visit here, and please come back again soon.

Just a few short weeks ago, the Japanese magnolia in my backyard was in bloom. This photo is one of my very top faves and I am calling it my weekly Top Shot.

Pink and white Japanese magnolia blossom, up close

Participating in Pink Saturday, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday,  My Romantic Home, and Saturday Show Off. Try a new tag or category while you are here, perhaps?

We have some artistic knitters in Burien, Washington. This yarn-covered bike rack (and more, not shown) is what some creative person or persons did to decorate the bike rack at the Burien Community Center recently. Stuff like this really floats my boat.

Colorful yarn-bombing of a bike rack in Burien, WA

Joining this link with Good Fences Thursday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Blue Monday, Pink Saturday, Our World Tuesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Scenic Weekends, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Orange You Glad It’s Friday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, NF Catching the Light Monday, and Saturday Show Off. If one photo only shows on this page, please click on Sara’s Fave Photos above for some more. Thanks!

Seattle has had rain, and lots of it. We’re normally pretty damp, but this is WET.

Rain-drenched red rhododendron flower

Linking up to Water World Wednesday, Pink Saturday, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Outdoor Wednesday, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. Thanks for your visit here, and please come back soon.

A local spot that has live music for dancing most nights, CC’s in Burien, had an incredible bouquet of pink tree peonies on the bar. Each blossom was as big as my head!

Large pink tree peony in a bouquet graces CC’s Lounge in Burien, Washington

Participating at Pink Saturday, Monday Mellow Yellows, Ruby Tuesday 2, Garden Party Thursday, Our World Tuesday, I Heart Macro Saturday, Macro Monday, Shadow Shot Sunday 2, Straight out of the Camera Sunday, Today’s Flowers, Floral Friday, and Saturday Show Off. You might try a new tag or category while you are here, or search in the upper right sidebar for a favorite flower to see what comes up.